Is This Dementia?

Today I was looking for a pen and knew it was on the table as I just used it. I searched and searched. The table was virtually empty. The third time I looked it was right there where I had left it earlier. But I didn't see it when I was looking! The reason I'm wondering if this is a symptom of dementia is that years ago my dad came to visit without his winter jacket. He said he looked everywhere and couldn't find it. I went to his home and it was hanging where it always was. A few months later he was diagnosed with dementia. Am I being paranoid? This has happened to me a few times in the last year or so. Thanks for any input.

Don't worry. In my opinion, with years of caring for a mother with Alzheimer's and being close to another relative with it, the person affected by this disease is the last to know. That is, as long as you are worried that your forgetfulness may be Alzheimer, it probably isn't.

Let me give you an example: My Mom didn't mislay things or find them later right where they should be - she assumed someone had sneaked into her apartment and taken things away, and then sneaked back in and put them back, just to confuse her and annoy her.

My Mom didn't overlook a jacket hanging in its usual place, she put on MY jacket, and didn't know it was not hers although 4 sizes too big.

A day after my brother brought us a roast beef he had made for us, Mom threw it out because ''it was bad."

The same day we got a bouquet of beautiful lilacs, she threw them out because ''they were old."

If anyone said, "what is happening to your memory," she said, "I am fine! I have no memory loss at all. But my daughter, who lives with me, can't seem to remember anything!"

As we get older we have a few senior moments. I recenlty looked for the cookies I was supposed to take to the family Thanksgiving dinner. I could not find them anywhere -- I was really annoyed at myself. Then I found them in a bag near the front door where I had put them the night before so I wouldn't forget them. I don't think I am getting Azlheimer's. But if I do, I won't know it.

I don't think so either. What i think is that you got so stressed about finding the pen that you over looked it. I tend to do the same thing. Especially in this hurried world that we live in today. We all seem to be so rushed that we can't take time to breath, much less look for the pen that we lost, then you get stressed that you left the pen some where, and you rush around looking for the pen,,, Don't sweat it. But if you happen to find my blue jacket, could send it home?

I echo what Martha and IBake said. You looked for the pen, you remembered placing it there, you remember looking for it, you found it in the vacinity of where you rememberd it. There is too much cognitive awareness there. Now if you swore the pen was on the table, accused somebody of moving it, and then later found out that you yourself had put it in your pocket book... maybe then there would be a problem. You can't remember what you forget. There is no recollection of the event even happening. If you know your forgot something.... it's probably due to our scatter lifestyle and over stressed life